“Capital Conundrum: The Plight of the Emergency Hillside Erosion Control Project”

Large cracks have appeared on the slopes of Cay Suong Mountain in Quy Dat town, Minh Hoa district, Quang Binh province. Heavy rains last year caused landslides, endangering the residential area at the foot of the mountain.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Loc, from Ward 8, Quy Dat town, complained that every time there is a storm, the locals cannot eat or sleep peacefully: “Even before the rainy season or just a light rain, we already see landslides. During the rainy season, the heavy flow of water softens the soil, making us very worried. When the rainy season comes, we have to evacuate and cannot stay at home for fear of landslides. We hope that the authorities will have a plan to prevent landslides so that we can feel safer when the floods come.”

During the rainy season in 2018, large and long cracks appeared on Cay Suong Mountain in Quy Dat town, Minh Hoa district, along with land subsidence in many sections. Since then, every rainy season, the authorities of Quy Dat town have stationed forces at locations prone to landslides to warn passersby. The local government is ready to evacuate households living in dangerous areas and bring them back home once it is safe.

Mr. Tran Manh Ha, Head of Ward 8, Quy Dat town, said that currently, 40 households with 200 people are at risk of mountain landslides: “The people hope that the state will create conditions to build a retaining wall to prevent landslides. But this is difficult and specific plans are needed. Because the geology here is very challenging, with hills above and a stream below.”

To effectively cope with the risk of landslides in this area, the People’s Council of Quang Binh province approved a resolution adopting the investment policy for the “Quy Dat town mountain landslide prevention dyke construction project (phase 1)” with a total investment of VND 17.5 billion, to be implemented from 2022 to 2025.

Mr. Nguyen Bac Viet, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Minh Hoa district, said that this is an urgent project, but with an investment of only VND 17.5 billion, it cannot be implemented, and VND 50 billion is needed. The People’s Committee of Minh Hoa district has requested the Department of Planning and Investment and the People’s Committee of Quang Binh province to report to the Provincial People’s Council to allow the project to be temporarily halted due to insufficient capital. The local government has also worked with the Department of Planning and Investment, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Economic-Budget Committee of the Provincial People’s Council, but these units do not agree to temporarily halt the project and require its continued implementation. The district People’s Committee has proposed that the People’s Committee of Quang Binh province consider allocating an additional VND 33 billion to the investment capital for the Quy Dat town mountain landslide prevention dyke construction project.

Mr. Nguyen Bac Viet, Chairman of Minh Hoa District People’s Committee, said: “Currently, there have been landslides in this area, and during heavy rains, we also have plans to evacuate people in affected areas. In preparing for natural disaster prevention and control, the town of Quy Dat has been assigned to come up with a plan to relocate people from this area. If the project is implemented now, it will not be completed before the rainy season. If a landslide occurs in this area, it will not only affect the households but also cut off the only road connecting National Highway 12A to Ho Chi Minh Road via Quy Dat town.”

Mr. Tran Thang, Chairman of Quang Binh People’s Committee, said that the “Quy Dat town mountain landslide prevention dyke construction project” has been directed by the province for many years and needs to be implemented to ensure the safety of people’s lives. The project has already been allocated capital, and the Provincial People’s Committee has directed and concluded on this matter, so it cannot be temporarily halted. If anything happens, Minh Hoa district must take responsibility.

According to Mr. Tran Thang, Chairman of Quang Binh People’s Committee, the capital of VND 50 billion is a large amount, and the district must carefully calculate the most effective plans: “This is a key project in natural disaster prevention and control and flood prevention, so it must be implemented, and we cannot afford to delay it or propose transferring it to another project. The risk of landslides is very high, and the province has also been concerned about this issue, inspecting over 50 points in the province with a high risk of landslides. If there are complex developments in natural disasters, climate change, and floods this year, the consequences cannot be foreseen.”